This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 from an application entitled Portable Computer Speaker Assembly earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on Dec. 1, 1998, and there duly assigned Ser. No. 98-24245 by that Office.
The present invention relates to a portable computer and, more particularly to a compact audio speaker assembly for the portable computer.
Beginning in the mid-1980""s, portable computers, alternately known as either laptops or notebook computers, have expanded in popularity and at an astonishing rate. Such computers are lightweight and have a display screen supported by a hinged cover that protects the keyboard and display screen when the computer is not being operated. Recent portable computers generally have multi-media elements such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc player with Read Only Memory), sound cards for processing high resolution sound, microphone for audio input, and the acoustic output from speakers. The sound from these speakers are usually at least in stereo and sometimes better definition. These particular portable computers are sometimes called Multi-media portable computer systems. The standards for multi-media computers were defined in relation to desktop computers, and do not directly take into account the format of a portable computer such as the reduced size and limitations on the power supply. There are many methods of installing a speaker in a portable computer, but generally the speaker is inserted into a rib or gasket of a portable computer.
It is very difficult to implement speakers in a small portable computer. An exemplar of the prior art Freadman (U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,616, Plug-in Sound Accessory for Portable Computers, January 1996) discloses a portable computer equipped with sound capability by plugging a personal computer memory card international association (PCMCIA) card having an on-board master speaker module into a PCMCIA slot.
Freadman (U.S. Pat. No. 5,550,921, Stereo Sound for Portable Computer, August 1996) discloses a dual-speaker unit providing improved stereo base response and directionality for portable computer applications.
Shin et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,663, Portable Computer Docking Station having a Rotatable Member and Audio Speakers Mounted on the Rotatable Member, February 1997) discloses a portable computer docking station having a rotatable member and audio members mounted on the rotatable member. Hickman (U.S. Pat. No. 5,610,992, Portable Electronic Device Having Ported Speaker Enclosure, March, 1997) discloses a portable computer having a ported speaker enclosure. The ported speaker enclosure has a speaker having a front portion and a back portion. Honda et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,646,820, Portable Computer having a Case which contains a Speaker in a Front Wall and a Keyboard in an Upper Wall, July 1997) discloses a portable computer having a case which contains a speaker in a front wall and a keyboard in an upper wall. Hickman et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,610,882, Notebook Computer Speakers, September 1997) discloses a loudspeaker configuration for a notebook computer including one or more high frequency upper speakers and a low frequency lower speaker.
Huilgol et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,708,561, Portable Computer Having Display Slidably and Rotatably Mountedfor Movement Between Landscape and Portrait Orientation and to Open and Close Speaker Ports, January 1998) discloses a portable computer having a display slidably and rotatably mounted for movement between landscape and portrait orientation and to open and close speaker ports. The speaker ports are opened and closed when a cover moves.
Illingworth et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,761,322, Portable Computer Speaker Enclosure, June 1998) discloses a portable computer system including sealed acoustic suspension speaker enclosures which are each molded of a high density and a low density polymer combination.
Markow (U.S. Pat. No. 5,796,554, Thin Film Speaker Apparatus for Use in A Thin Film Video Monitor Device, August 1998) discloses a speaker system that is included in a thin film video monitor apparatus like a laptop. Multiple piezo transducers are placed in the walls of the display cover.
Lundgren et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,838,537, Retractable Speakers for Portable Computer, November 1998) discloses a retractable speakers for portable computer. This allows for the sound quality to be occasionally adjusted depending on the user""s preference.
Pan-Ratzlaff ((U.S. Pat. No. 5,852,545, Detachable Electrical and Mechanical Mounting Mechanism for Snap Mounting Computer Speakers, December 1998) discloses a detachable electrical and mechanical mounting mechanism for snap mounting computer speakers.Markow et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,290, Portable Computer Having Loudspeakers in Enclosures formed by Gaskets Located Between a Keyboard, a Printed Circuit Board, and a Frame, October 1998) discloses a portable computer system having a loudspeaker enclosure defined by a printed circuit board, a keyboard section cover and a gasket.
Conley et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,456, Piezo Speaker and Installation Method for Laptop Personal Computer and Other Multimedia Applications, June 1997) discloses several implementations of a piezo speaker in a portable computer. Freadman (U.S. Pat. No. 5,805,708, Speaker System for Computer, September 1998) discloses a speaker system in a portable computer system with one part inside the computer and two ports emitting sound to the exterior. Nakajima (U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,139, Portable Electronic Apparatus having a Frame Supporting Functional Components, and Method of Assembling the Portable Electronic Apparatus, February 1998) discloses a base unit of a portable computer that houses speakers. Thayer (U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,140, Accoustic Speaker with Expandable Speaker Enclosure, March 1998) discloses a speaker system for a portable computer that has the speakers emitting sounds just above the keyboard or on the display panel.
The exemplar art do not have the housing for a small speaker that can also give multi-media type quality sound and be rapidly assembled without additional tools.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a compact audio speaker assembly for a portable computer capable of being rapidly assembled into a portable computer without an additional tool. Not using a tool may reduce the possible damage of expensive housing parts of a portable computer during assembly.
It is also an object to provide a good location for the assembly of a speaker so that sounds from the speaker can be properly heard by the user.
It is another object to save space in a portable computer when implementing a sound system.
It is a further object to have a speaker system that is installed in the portable computer to generate high quality sound waves.
Another object is to have a speaker system so placed that it does not inhibit the user from using the keyboard and pointing device or inhibiting the sound quality while using such devices.
In order to attain the above objects, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable computer having a lower housing with a first opening on a side surface, an upper housing having a second opening corresponding to the first opening and coupled to the lower housing to form an internal space. A speaker assembly is disposed in the internal space and held by the lower housing and the upper housing. One end surface of the speaker assembly is exposed outwardly through the first opening and the second opening.
In the portable computer according to the invention, the speaker assembly has a speaker, a first cap made of elastic material coupled to the speaker, and a second cap incorporating the first cap. The second cap has multiple holes on one end surface to allow sounds to emit outwardly from the speaker. The periphery of the second cap is held by the upper housing and the lower housing.
The second cap includes a first periphery having a first diameter which is disposed at the first opening and the second opening to be held by the surface of the upper housing and the lower housing. A second periphery has a second diameter larger than the first diameter which tightly contacts with internal surfaces of the upper housing and the lower housing.
The portable computer includes at least one rib formed in an internal space of the upper housing and the lower housing to support the speaker assembly.
According to another aspect of this invention, a portable computer has a base having a hinge portion at a rear edge. A display panel incorporating a display screen is attached pivotally to the hinge portion of the base. A speaker assembly is coupled in the hinge portion. A sound-emitting portion of the speaker assembly is disposed at the side surface of the hinge portion.